The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-26
THE OFFERING.

We may conceive of Abraham as dwelling
peacefully and prosperously by the wells
which he had dug at Beer-sheba xxi. 25).
GoD had richly blessed him ell his life long,
and had now fulfilled His long deferred
promised blessing of son who would be his
heir, and inherit the promises, through whom
and whose posteriy he might become
blessing to the world. We may believe that
Isaac, now almost grown to manhood, was
the hope of his declining years and the JOY of
his trustful heart. The cup of his blessing
was now apparently full, and his pious soul
must have been full of gratitude, eager for
expression, toward the giver of SO much
blessing-the reward of his constant faith in
COP, who had led him forth and had protect
ed and prospered him in his worship among
strange people and in strange land. What
Offering could he make that would adequately
express the sense of his obligation or the
feelings of his thankful heart? Nothing that
he possessed, not even the dearest treasure
of his heart, was too good for such a service.
He had doubtless been familiar with human
sacrifices in the worship of the gods prac-
ticed in Chaldea, his former home. The
highest expression of worship among the
Canaanites, in whose land he now dwelt, was
that of children passing through the fire."
" Offering up their sons and their daughters"
and "giving their first born for their trans
erosion, the fruit of their body for the sin of
their soul " q Kings xvi. 3; xiii. 10; Micah
vi. u. Should ne do anything less than
this, as the highest expression of his worship
Sol To ka bic O,olu
son. through whom numerous posterity
was divinely promised; but COP, whom he
trusted for the fulfllment of every promise,
could restore him to life again, or give him
another son to take the place of his offering.
Gop, whose voice he had so often heard and
obeyed, and who had SO constantly rewarded
his faith and obedience, now calls for this
supreme sacrifice and proof of his gratitude
and faith. The deepest conviction of highest
truth and duty is always the voice of GoD to
the truly devout soul. The judgment may
err in its interpretations of the word of
GoD " which it speaks, and especially in
determining the forms of obedience. This
voice came to Abraham as a voice from
heaven, commanding him to offer bis beloved
son as a burnt offering-the costliest, and
therefore the highest conceivable form of
sacrificial worship. A dream of the night
may have given the deepening conviction of
his soul the force of Divine command.
Such experiences were not uncommon in
ancient times and with devout persons COP
often appeared, and the word of GOD fire.
quently came iIl dream or vision to His
servants of old. The language of the story
favors that method of the Divine impression
upon Abraham's mind: "And Abraham rose
up early in the morning." and proceeded to
obey what he conceived to be the word of
COP, which may have come to him in his
dream. The form of the story is that which
is common in the Scriptures; it is dramatic,
lively and picturesque. COP speaks and
Abraham answers in terms of familiarity,
and minutest details are related, even the
carrying of the knife with which to stay the
victim.
The place of the proposed sacrifice was a
mountain in the land of Moriah, which was
reached on the third day after the departure
from Beer-sheba. The Temple in Jerusalem
is thought by some TO have afterward stood
upon the same mountain. On the way to
the mountain with the wood, the fire and the
knife, Isaac asks his father, "Where is the
lamb for the burnt-offering? The father
replies, i" COP will provide it" His trust.
full soul is full of Questionings concerning
the final issue of his obedience to the Divine
command in view of the Divine promise, and
growing tender and tiInid toward his son, he
could only answer, a" COP will provide" Ar.
irving at the place appointed for the sacrifice
Abraham built an altar, placed the wood il
order, and Isaac, bound, upon it. When he
took the knife to slay his son, voice came
TO him out of heaven--ihe voice of an Gnge
who said, "Lay not thine hand upon thu
lad, neither do thou anything unto him." A
noise (voice-sound), probably attracted hi
attention, and upon looking up he saw a ran
with his horns entangled in the thicket. Coz
had indeed provided lamb for the Offering
This now was Cons voice, telling him t.
spare his son and offer the ram instead. Blu
he had stood the test, his faith had been full
proved, he was worthy to be called tn
Father of the Faithful" He was obedien
to the voice of GoD as he understood it, an
in the course of his obedience deeper an